Automatically-operating valve.



I. A. & L. F. MUSTBB. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1911,

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

m 1 m m c n m w a my a m E w z em It 53 AR 0L 1. 1 a v 1 5 @KJ vflm mooco J. A. &: L. P. MUSTEE. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21,1911. 1,959, 1 97, Patented Apr. 15, 191-3.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Witnesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. MUSTEE AND LAWRENCE F. MUSTEE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERATING VALVE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Apr. 15,1913.

Application filed September 21, 1911. Serial No. 650,637.

To all whom it may concerns Be it known that We, J osnrn A. Mnsrnn and LAWRENCE F. Mus'rnn citizens of the United States, residing at invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically-Operating Valves;

and we do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

' This invention relates to improvements in automatically operating thermostatic valves.

One object of theinvention is to provide a valve of this character adapted to be applied to a Water heater or boiler, whereby the heating mechanism will be automatically controlled for keeping the water at the desired temperature.

Another object is to provide a thermostatic valve which will be simple, stron and durable in construction, efiicient and re iable in operation and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more particularly described and afterward specifically claimed.

n the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a valve constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof taken I on the line 2'2 of Fig. 6; Fig. 3 is a detail I perspective View of the diaphragm clamp-.. ing member; Fig. 4 is a horizontalspction' taken on the line H of F 6 Fig. 5 isa detail perspective view of one section of the adjustable valve operated plunger; 6 1s a side elevation partly in section'of the invention applied.

By reference to the accom nying drawings it will be seen that the invention comprises a T coupllng 1 having on its lower side a dependingguide frame 2, said frame p having formed on its lower side a valve cas ing 3 provided with a beveled guide seat 4.

The oppositely disposed ends of the T-coupling l are adapted to be connected respectively by suitable water circulating pipes with radiator and with a boiler or water Oleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have heater A, while to the other opening or branch of the coupling is connected a Water circulating tube 5, the upper end of which is closed by a suitable cap 6, as shown.

Screwed onto an annular threaded portion of the frame 2 is the upper member 7 of a diaphragm casing. The upper portion of the member 7 of the casinginclosesthe valve casing 3 as shown, and the lower portion of said member 7 is of annular con- ,vexo-concave form, and to the outer edges groove 11, whereby said upper edge is provided with two separate contact surfaces or seats, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. In the member 8 of the diaphragm casing is also formed a gas discharge passage 12 said passage being located outside of this valve seat 10 and communicating with saidpassage is a socket 13,

adapted to receive the gas conducting pipe burner B of the water heater A. clamped at its outer edges between the outer edges of the upper and lower members 7 and 8 of the diaphragm casing is a flexible diaphragm 14 which is adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the upper edges of the valve seat l0, whereby the inlet passage 9 1n the 13", which leads to and is connected with the lower portion of the diaphragm casing is opened and closed. The diaphragm 14 is supported at its center, by a tubular boss or extension 14' formed on the inner s1de of the upper member'7 of the diaphragm casing, said boss being threaded lnteriorly at its lower end to receive a diaphragm clamping'scnew 15 which is inserted through the diaphragm and screwed into the end of the socket as shown. In the screw 15 is formeda reduced gas passage or vent 16, and with the upper portion of the tubular boss abpve he screw 15 is formed a by pass 17, which is provided on its upper surface with a centrally disposed upwardly projecting annular stop flange 19, which is adapted to engage the inner surface of the member 7 of the diaphragm casing and thus prevent the diaphragm from being forced upwardly by the pressure ofthe gas below the same to such an extent as to injure the diaphragm.

On the inner edge of the ring 18 is aiso formed a ring attaching flange 20 which is secured by suitable'fastening devices to a rlng 21 arranged below the same and on the opposite side of the diaphragm, whereby the ring 18 is firmly secured inposition on the diaphragm,

In the upper member 7 of the diaphragm casing is formed a gas discharge passage 22 provided with an interiorly threaded socket with which is adapted to be connected a gas conducting pipe 22 by means of which the passage 22 is connected with the pilot burner 22 of the water heater whereby the gas discharged through the outlet 22 is consumed. In the upper portion of the valve casin 3 inclosed by the upper portion 7 of the fiaphragm casing and connecting said valve casing with said upper portion of the diaphragm casing is a gas discharge port 23, through which gas is supplied to the pilot burner of the water heater. Another pipe 22 leads from the main gas supply pipe to the pilot 22 through which gas is continuously supplied to the pilot.

Arranged in the valve casing 3 and adapted tobeengaged with the valve seat 4 therein is a conical shaped valve 24, having on its lower end adepending stem 25, which is adapted to work in a socket formed in the adjacent portion of the diaphragm casing 7 and around which and engaged with the valve is a coiled valve casing sprin 26. On the upper end of the valve 24 is ormed an upwardly projecting stem 26 which works through a guide passage formed in the lower end of the frame 2 and through a packing nut 27 arranged in said lower end of the frame 2, as shown.

Formed in the lower side of the T-coupling 1 and communicating with the upper end of the frame 2 is a passage 28, the lower portion of which is squared as shown. With the squared'lower portion of the passage 28 is-engaged thesquared portion of the upper section 29 of a valve operating member 30 arranged in the frame 2, as shown. The

upper section 29 below the squared portion thereof is threaded and on said threaded end of the member is screwed the lower section of the member, said lower section 31 of the member having a threaded socket to receive the threaded end of the upper section and on the lower end of said member 30 is formed a serrated head 32, by means of which the lower socket member 31 is screwed upwardly or downwardly on the upper section, thus regulating the length of the valve operating member. In the lower end of the section 31 of the valve operating member is formed a socket 33 with which is engaged the upper end of the upper valve stem 26.

Arranged in the tube 5 is a thermostat comprising a tube 34 having its lower end engaged with the upper portion of the passage 28 in the lower side of the T-coupllng 1' and having its upper end closed by a threaded plug 35. On the opposite sides of the tube 34 are oppositely disposed laterally projecting ribs or wings 36 the outer edges of which engage the inner side of the tube 5. Theribs 36 extend partway up the tube 34 and form bafile plates whereby the water entering one side of the T-couplmg is directed upwardly into the tube 5, and caused to pass over the upper ends of the IlbS 36, said water thus circulating around the tube 34. The tube 34 is formed of a suitable metal which expands under heat and contracts when cold. Arranged in the tube 34 and having its opposite ends engaged w1th the plug 35 and with the upper end of section 29 of the valve operating member 30 1s a cylindrical thermostat bar 37, formed of a metal which expands when cold and contracts when heated, and we find that an alloy I of parts lead, 16.7 antimony, and 8.3 parts bismuth, will operate as described.

In the operation of the device when the water in the boiler or hot water heater is cold, the water in the tube 5 and coupling 1 connected therewith will also be cold.'

This coldwater coming in contact with the thermostat tube 34 and acting upon the thermostat bar 37 will contract the tube 34 and expand the bar 37, thus causing said bar to act upon the upper end of the valve operating member 30, forcing said member downwardly, thereby disengaging the valve from its seat 4 in the casing 3, whereupon communication is formed between the space on the upper side of the dlaphragm 14 and the discharge passage 22 in the diaphragm casing whereupon the gas in said upper portion (if the diaphragm casm w1ll pass out through the by pass 17, tu ular boss 14, and discharge port 23, thereby relieving the pressure of the gas on the u per side of the diaphragm, which will e lifted by the pressure of the gas entering the lower portion of the diaphragm casing through the passage 9, thus permitting sai incoming gas to pass between the upper edges of the valve seat 10 and the lower side of the diaphragm 14, and out throu h the discharge passage 12 and socket 13 an from thence through the gas conducting pipe to the burners, whereby the latter are supplied with gas and are lighted by a pilot, (not shown) and by means of the heat supplied from said lighted burners, the water in the boiler is heated. When the water in the boiler and in the tube 5 becomes heated to a suflioient degree and to prevent the over heating of the water, the heated water in the tube 5 will expand the tube 34 and contract thebar 37, thereby relieving the pressure of said bar upon the upper end of the valve operating member 30, which will permit the spring 26 to close the valve 24 and thus cut oil the discharge of the gas from the upper portion of the diaphragm casing. When the discharge of the gas is thus out off, the gas will continue to flow through the passage 16 in the screw 15 into the boss 14' and through the bypass 17 into the outer portion of'the diaphragm casing until the pressure of the gas in said upper portion of the diaphragm casing is greater than the pressure of the gas entering the lower portion of the diaphragm casing below the diaphragm, whereupon the pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm will force the latter downwardly into engagement with the outer edges of the valve seat 10, thus stopping the flow of gas through the lower portion of the diaphragm casing and thereby cutting off the supply to the burners. When the pres.

sure of the gas in the upper portion of the diaphragm casing forces the diaphragm downwardly into engagement with the seat, the edges of the ring 18 will engage the diaphragm' on opposite sides of the upper edges 0 clamp the diaphragm down into gas tight engagement with said upper edges of the valve seat.

By connecting the discharge passage 22' with the pilot light by a pipe 22 the gas escaping from the upper portion of the dlaphragm casing above the diaphragm will beconsumed by the pilot light 22 which is normally connectedwith the gas supply plpe in any suitable manner preferably by a pipe 22 and is thereby kept burning continuously ready to light the heating burner B for the boiler.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the construction and operation of the invention will be readily' understood with out requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction maya coupling, a valve casing arranged on said coupling, a diaphragm casing connected the valve seat 10 and will thus gas in the upper portion of the diaphragm v.

casing, whereby communication between the inlet V and discharge passages is closed, a

pressure controllingvalve arranged in said casing, a water circulating tube connected with said coupling, a valve operating member comprising a threaded socket engaged with the stem of said valve, and an externallythreadedseotion adapted to adjustably engage said threaded socket, said section having a squared upper end engaged with said coupling, whereby said section is held against turning, and the socket section permitted to be adjusted thereon, a thermostat arranged in said coupling and projecting upwardly into said water circulating tube, and comprisinga'n outer tube adapted to expand when heated and contract when cold, said tube having on its opposite sides laterally projecting ribs adapted to. engage the sides of thewater circulating tube and to form a partition tocause the water to circulate through said tube, and an inner cylindrical thermostat member adapted to expand when cold and contract when heated, thereby, together with the tubular thermostat member opening said valve when the water in said coupling and circulating tube is cold.

2. In a valve of the character described, a coupling, a valve casing arranged thereon and having therein gas inlet and discharge passages, a valve arranged in said casing and adapted to open'and close said passages, a diaphragm casing, said casing comprising upper and lower members, said upper member having an extensionfadapted to inclose said valve casing and having formed therein a pilot light connection, a tubular r diaphragm casing, said bosshaving formed therein a by-pass, whereby communication is established between the upper and lower members of the diaphragm casing, a clamping ring secured to said diaphragm and adapted to clamp the latter in operative" engagement with the seat in'the lower portion of the diaphragm casing, whereby the flow of gasthrough the lower portion of the diaphragm is stopped, and a thermostat opset our hands in presence of two subscriberatively connected with the valve in saiding witnesses.

valve casing, whereby the valve is automati- JOSEPH A. MUSTEE.

cally opened and permitted to close,- thus LAWRENCE F. MUSTEE. 5 controlling the pressure of the gas in the Witnesses:

upper portion of the diaphragm casing. GEO. W. Kenn,

In testimony whereof we have hereunto C. C. LONES. 

